People who were signed up to get COVID-19 vaccine at the Spokane Arena over the weekend will need to reschedule as vaccine shipments are delayed nationwide due to winter storms.
The vaccination appointments that were scheduled Friday and Saturday must be rescheduled due to weather delays and the vaccine appointments scheduled for Sunday and Monday will be moved because of administrative changes.
Kelley Charvet, the Chief Administrative Officer at CHAS Health which is administering the vaccine at the arena, said the appointments will be moved to the second half of next week.
“The plan is to spread out those who are being rescheduled between Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday so we don’t have anyone one day that’s particularly overwhelming day for providing those vaccinations,” she said.
Some appointments were also moved to accommodate the Washington State Department of Health’s schedule. Over the next couple of weeks, it will take over managing the online appointment website from local providers. It will also switch to a Thursday through Saturday appointment schedule.
Besides the scheduling change, most operations will remain the same.
Providers at the Spokane Arena were able to immunize 1,200 people today with holdover vaccine from previous shipments, but the soonest a new shipment could be available is Tuesday.
During a press conference Thursday Kelli Hawkins, communications manager for the Spokane Regional Health District said community members will soon receive calls asking to reschedule.
The callers will only ask for their date of birth and their contact information. If a person calls asking for financial information, they are not a public health official. She said those who are concerned can call a hotline to reschedule at 1-800-525-0127.
